TECHNOVATION GIRLS - Teaching Problem-Solving Skills to Girls Across the Globe
Posted 1 year ago
The Technovation Girls Program empowers girls aged 8-18 to develop tech entrepreneurship and leadership skills. Participants mainly comprise parents and dedicated volunteers who collaborate in teams to teach girls how to create mobile apps that tackle genuine societal challenges.
The program was first introduced in California in 2006 by Tara Chklovski; however, girls from almost 100 countries are currently participating in developing mobile apps related to climate change, girls' protection, and gender awareness programs.
Technovation's first program, Family Science, began in 2007 in Los Angeles and then spread. According to the organization's website, as of 2022, this program served over 16,000 people, including 5,700 girls from over 60 countries who created nearly 1,700 mobile apps and AI prototypes.
The Technovation Girls program is designed to be simple yet effective, with three key components. Its primary goal is to raise awareness about STEM education among girls, making it accessible and engaging for all.
Component 1 is problem identification, in which girls get mentoring to identify community issues and plan a technological intervention that can bring change or ease life.
The second component focuses on team building. Girls collaborate in teams and get guidance from mentors available through this program in their localities, who are called Club Ambassadors. Such team activity fosters collective brainstorming, workload sharing, and mutual support, nurturing a lasting community of learners.
The third component is community engagement facilitated by mentors and engaging local communities.
The impact of empowering 25 million girls through the Technovation Girls Program sound quite encouraging. With nearly 600 million adolescent girls worldwide, imagine the possibilities if every one of them had the opportunity to grow as leaders, innovators, and problem solvers. The Technovation Girls program aims to unlock this potential on a global scale. We can catalyze transformative change and create a more equitable and innovative world by providing these girls with the tools and support they need to thrive in technology and entrepreneurship. Let's be a part of this program or initiate programs of similar nature that is the future.
